His anger was not right in Gods sight, but his evaluation of the situation surely was. Genesis 24:67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death. Armed with that precious promise of Gods presence, Jacob headed for Haran, the land of his mothers family. Some couples get angry with God for not giving them children, while others who do have children look forward to the day when the kids will be grown and gone and they can have some peace and quiet. As our knowledge of Him increases through the study of His Word and through prayerful periods in His presence, we shall find a settled peace and contentment growing within us. Where does the version of Hamapil that is different from the Gemara come from? Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. And they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. Again his heart must have leaped within him at the realization of Gods faithful direction. Infatuation is usually in a hurry because it is self-centered. Rachel was the favorite wife of Jacob, who had been earlier tricked into marrying Rachels older sister, Leah, after working for Laban for seven years as a contract for the marriage. 19 Its better that I give her to you than to another man, Laban replied, so stay with me. 20 Jacob served seven years for Rachel, but it seemed like only a few days because of his love for her. WebJacob agreed to work seven years for Rachel. We know that a relationship based primarily on physical attraction rests on a shaky foundation. She cooperated willingly with her fathers scheme but found very little satisfaction in the husband she had gained by deceit. So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and indeed he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with Laban for another seven years (Gen. 29:30). He also rips off an arm to use as a sword. What are the teraphim (household gods) Rachel stole from Laban? Why did you give me Leah? I specifically asked for Rachel! Why have you tricked me? Jacob was That's great, thanks! Even though Laban didnt set a good example of keeping a promise, God does. How should we view/interpret Jacob's initiative involving the rolling of the stone from the mouth of the well? Please be respectful of copyright. In spite of their complicated courtship and marriage, Jacob and Rachel had a deep and passionate love for each other. Now Jacob had two wives, Leah and Rachel, both sisters, one he loved and one he did not. How could Jacob wrestle with God if no one can see God and live? When Jacob confronted Laban, Laban was resolutein their culture, the younger daughter never marries before the older daughter. (E), 22So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. At 147 years of age he called his sons together in Egypt to bless them, and he was still thinking about her. Gen 30 describes the birth of the first 11 sons (and 1 daughter, Dinah) of Jacob born in the that second 7 year period. please read and comment. She was envious, selfish, peevish, fretful, discontented, and demanding. When they came to Bethel, God said to Jacob, Joseph was Jacob's only child with Rachel, and he was presumed dead. 4:11). Laban had given Leah to Jacob. That gnawing discontentment kept her from enjoying anything totally, and it kept others from enjoying her. The unloved Leah bore seven of Jacobs childrensix sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, as well as a daughter, Dinah. 107:9). Then, after seven years, Jacob was ready to receive his wife, Rachelonly to be tricked by his father-in-law. It will not change as long as we think satisfaction can be found in any material possession or improved circumstance. In fact, Jesus said, There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent (Luke 15:7). The Lord stood above the ladder and said to Jacob, Behold, I am with you, and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you (Gen. 28:15). Hollywood has given us some good evidence for that thesis. It only takes a minute to sign up. All rights reserved. WebHow many years did Jacob work for Laban, and why did he serve all those years? A new discovery raises a mystery. Later, God blessed him again, reiterating Jacobs new name as Israel and renewing the same covenant God had made with Isaac and Abraham, Jacobs father and grandfather. The Cross And Unjust Suffering (1 Peter 2:19-25), Living in Love: Secrets from Bible Marriages. also Lev. The neighborhood beauty and the new boy in town had found each other. Knowing they arrived in Succoth when Joseph was 6 and that they left when he (and Dinah) was 17, we can say they were married about 25 years when she died. And most of us have moments like that. The next morning when he woke up and saw the woman he married, he realized that is was LEAH!!!! How Jacob and Rachels Bible Story Show's us God's Love in Action And being the shrewd operator that he was, he got down to business immediately. Jacob's flocks grazed as far south as Hebron, because. Together with the sons of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, these 12 men would become the forefathers of the 12 tribes of Israel, sealing Gods covenant. Rachel was never completely happy with what she had. Jacob offered to serve him seven years for Rachel, the younger of his two daughters, whom he loved because of her beauty; i.e., just as many years as the week has days, that he might bind himself to a complete and sufficient number of years of service. There are Christians who are dissatisfied with the places where they live, the jobs they have, the money they make, and the houses they live in. How do we reverse the trend? From the start, Jacob in his youth is portrayed as a deceiver, which is what his name means. The miracle of conception lies within the power of God. What are the arguments for/against anonymous authorship of the Gospels. This marriage was to see hard times, but had it not been for this long engagement and Jacobs deepening and maturing love, it probably would not have survived at all. All this means that Jacob was married to Rachel for some time between about 15 years and 22 years. Then they let their father Jacob think Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. All rights reserved worldwide. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.. The message came in the form of a dream about a ladder that stretched from heaven to earth. That is a minimum of 15 years. Except for the one time that Jacob got angry with her for blaming her childlessness on him, there is no indication that he ever loved her any less for her faults. Jacobs concubine Bilhah gave birth to Dan and Naphtali (Genesis 30:3-8), while another slave, Zilpah, gave him Gad and Asher (Genesis 30:9-13). I don't know why I didn't think of running through the chronology myself! Finally, after 7 long years, the time had come for Jacob to marry Rachel. He told Rachel that he was a relative of her father, Laban. Little Reuben, Leahs firstborn, who may have been about four years old at the time, was out in the field following the reapers around picking some plants called mandrakes or love apples, as any little boy of that time might do. The emotion of the moment overwhelmed him. So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her (Gen. 29:20). One day years before she had screamed, Give me children, or else I die. And she died giving birth to her second son. Thank you for your contribution. So Laban gave his daughter to Jacob and they got married. An unknown time later, he moved to Bethel (Gen 35:1). But she named him Joseph, which means may he add. And she said, May the Lord give me another son (Gen. 30:24). Likewise, in spite of our own sin that has the potential to forever separate us from God, God loves us deeply and so passionately that He chases us down in love to win us back to Him and all the good He has in store for us. THEN, after all that time, Jacob wakes up to find that he had married the wrong woman! One great test of true love, therefore, is the ability to wait. We can, however, follow the chronology and the geography to know within about a year how long Jacob and Rachel were married. Was Jacob so Sexually driven that He mistook Leah for Rachel? Glenn ::Yes, it is an awful lot of money, he was in love. He is the one who is responsible for your barrenness. 4. Never Satisfied! - The Story of Jacob and Rachel What is the meaning of Jacob wrestling with God. (J) I served you for Rachel, didnt I? Required fields are marked *. Jacob, as he had already lain with Leah, was stuck. God finally did give her a son of her own, and now we expect her to be satisfied. At Jacobs request, they buried him next to Leah in the cave of Machpelah in Hebron beside Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Rebekah (Gen. 49:29-31; 50:13). 25 The next morning, Jacob realized that it was Leah! Jacob did not have to wait seven more years for Rachel, only one week. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her. When Laban finally overtook them and searched their belongings for his terephim, Rachel lied to him and deceived him to keep him from finding them (Gen. 31:33-35). Jacob and Rachels love story pales in comparison to the mighty, never-ending love God our father has for us. Artist William Dyce captures this fateful moment in his mid-19th-century painting The Meeting of Jacob and Rachel., Photograph by Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany/Bridgeman Images. When she realized that Leah was bearing Jacob children and she was not, she became intensely jealous of her sister and said to Jacob, Give me children, or else I die (Gen. 30:1). Could it be that the loneliness in our lives or the conflicts in our relationships are the result of an underlying spirit of discontentment? Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! If we had a video livestream of a clock being sent to Mars, what would we see? But Jacob was not willing to believe that God was in control of these circumstances. Something else always looks better to them. 18Jacob was in love with Rachel(A) and said, Ill work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.(B), 19Laban said, Its better that I give her to you than to some other man. According to Gensis 29:16-18,He worked 7 years for Rachel, and was deceived and was given Leah. 29:15 Later, Laban asked Jacob, Should you serve me for free, just because youre my nephew? Jacob suffered to win Rachel. 3:2). We get the idea that he was so fascinated by Rachels beauty, and so enchanted by her charm, that he failed to recognize her shortcomings or even to consider the will of God in his relationship with her. He wrestles with God one night and endures, and God renames him Israel, because as God said, You have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome (Genesis 32:28). Finish the following statement as you might have done before reading this chapter: I could be happy if only . Jacob continued to prefer Rachel. With a heavy veil over her face and long flowing garments covering her body, she got through the ceremony undetected. What would seven years in wages amount to? He was probably furious with the whole family for their double-dealing fraud. We have seen Jacobs love at first sight and his love under great stress. rev2023.5.1.43405. God loves you so much that He would do anything to help you. Song of Solomon 8:6,7 Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! This stone has a mysterious past beyond British coronations, Ultimate Italy: 14 ways to see the country in a new light, 6 unforgettable Italy hotels, from Lake Como to Rome, A taste of Rioja, from crispy croquettas to piquillo peppers, Trek through this stunning European wilderness, Land of the lemurs: the race to save Madagascar's sacred forests, When Jacob met Rachel he kissed her and lifted up his voice, and wept (Genesis 29:11). WebWe would like to show you a description here but the site wont allow us. Could a subterranean river or aquifer generate enough continuous momentum to power a waterwheel for the purpose of producing electricity? His twin Esau is a man of the land, a hunter, and the favorite of their father, while Jacob, who preferred to remain at home, was the favorite of their mother. Jacob and Rachel Is there a generic term for these trajectories? Despite Rachel and Leahs sisterly squabbles and the addition of two more wives into their already crowded marriage, God produced Gods people through what looked like a mess. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. If Jacob wanted to marry Rachel as well, he would owe Laban another seven years of labor. And the events that follow should be evidence enough that bigamy was never part of Gods plan for the human race. What is the biblical basis for thinking God established the principle of birthright and inheritance, Horizontal and vertical centering in xltabular. But Laban told Jacob hed give Rachel, too, as his wife if Jacob agree to seven more years of labor. [That is Joseph was about 11 years old when Rachel died??] Complete the bridal week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you shall serve with me for another seven years (Gen. 29:27). The consequences of deception are usually painful and distressing. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. (D), 21Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife. It was so late at the wedding that Jacob was too tired to know what was going on. Save 15% on BibleGateway+ with code SPRINGSTUDY15. Dottard Correct Laban was greedy, he bartered for both of his daughters., Although he played the part of the benevolent uncle, he reduced his blood relationship with Jacob to a service contract. Jacob not notice he married Leah instead It says, I feel good when I am with you, so I want to hurry up and get you to the altar before I lose you and lose these good feelings. Love says, Your happiness is what I want most of all, and I am willing to wait, if need be, to be sure this is what is best for you. And if it is real, it will stand the test of time. So Jacob gathered his wives and children and his belongings and he slipped away while Laban was out shearing his sheep. Now we are even more dubious. Genesis 30 TLB - Rachel, realizing she was barren, - Bible Gateway Even though Jacob deceived his own family, he later embraced humility and was deceived himself. It could be a parent, grandparent, sibling, friend, anyone. WOW! Web29 Jacob replied, You know how faithfully Ive served you through these many years, and how your flocks and herds have grown. 6. Soon after his arrival in Harran, Jacob fell in love with the beautiful and lovely Rachel, daughter of his cousin Laban (Genesis 29:17). And it came about, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mothers brother, and the sheep of Laban his mothers brother, that Jacob went up, and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the flock of Laban his mothers brother (Gen. 29:9, 10). Jacob was impressedprobably too impressed. Genesis 29:20 Commentaries: So Jacob served seven years In the pressure of that bigamous relationship, Rachels true character began to surface. He reminded the shepherds that grazing time was being lost and that they should water their flocks and get them back out to pasture while it was still light, probably a ploy to get rid of them so he could talk to Rachel alone. Laben got Jacob snockered at the wedding feast and pulled a switcheroo, giving his older daughter, Leah, instead. They can make their marriage succeed, but it will take a little extra effort, and they will need to make their relationship grow far beyond the physical magnetism that got it started. Axolotls and capybaras are TikTok famousis that a problem? One night, he dreamed of a ladder going up into heaven. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. God wants us to be content with what we have. He moved a stone that normally took several people to move, and watered all of Rachels sheep. Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular, Seven, seven times, a week, an indefinite number, Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular, Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | third person masculine singular, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular, Direct object marker | third person feminine singular, Untranslatable mark of the accusative case. He had just worked 7 years for Rachel, who he loved so much and then he wakes up to realize that he married Leah instead! Jacobs work for Laban wasnt easyit was hard, grueling labor. By talking in whispered tones in the darkened tent, she made it through the night. 17 Leah looked rather plain, but Rachel was lovely in form and appearance.
Missing Child Chesapeake, Va,
Why Is My Disposable Vape Auto Firing,
Buy Here Pay Here Straight Trucks,
Bnd Obituaries Today,
Articles H